If Only it Was !

Today would have been my parents' 42nd wedding anniversary. 

Tomorrow, would have been my inlaws' 37th.

We would have spent the last two weeks looking around for special presents for both our parents.

We would have found it really easy to get our moms something nice, but would have been puzzled by the men's presents.

We would have considered all the options, and gone around from shop to shop, looking for something unique that they will like.

We would have ended up buying a bottle of Paco Rabanne and a silver decanter.

We would have gone and celebrated at my parents, with all the family.

My parents would have told us, why did you get the presents;

we are not kids to expect presents, but they would have been pleased by them anyway.

My dad would pretend he did not know what his present was.

He would pretend he's surprised it's a Paco.

He would be very pleased with it nevertheless.

He would never change that perfume, no matter how much we tried.

We would have sat on the terrace, and had dinner there.

There would have been a lovely August breeze.

The amazing scent of the colonia tree that my dad planted everywhere would be filling the
air as the breeze got stronger.

The kids would have been running in and out of the house, leaving the door open for the
mosquitoes to get in.

Me or one of my sisters would have scorned the kids.

One of them would have broken in tears.

Jiddo would have called him/her over and sat him on his knees.

Jiddo would have kissed him and pampered him.

Jiddo would have scolded us for being rough with the children.

We would have joked about how when WE were growing up our parents weren't as soft on us as they are on the grandchildren.

We would have  sat there all night, hearing  dad's stories.

He would have  told the story of how he lied to mom when they were first married and told her he loved mlookhieh because she did, when he actually could not tolerate it.

He would have let all the kids dip a finger in his scotch.

He would have laughed when one of the little ones came back for more,

or tried to dip his whole fist in jiddo's glass.

It would have been an awesome night.

We would have gone the next day to my inlaws.

There would be cake.

Jiddo would let the kids blow the candles and cut the cake.

I would have scolded the kids for picking the strawberries off the cake.

Ammo would have told me my rules don't apply in his place.

Jiddo would have carried Zaid around holding Raya's hand.

Jiddo would have given Zaid a ride on his back.

Maybe played a bit of accordion for Raya.

This jiddo would have also given them his glass for a quick finger dip.

He would have been very pleased by the new addition to his growing decanter collection.

He would have insisted they were not kids, either.

He would have asked us how our celebration at my parents went.

We would have sat there all night hearing ammo's stories.

He would have told us the story about his mom locking his dad up in the room while he was sleeping.

We would have laughed at it so much like it was the first time we heard it.

It would have been an awesome night.

But it's not!

August 2007